Wilhelm eeissig



(No Model.)

W. REISSIG.

VITAL HEAT ALARM, No. 265,866. Patented Oct-10, 1882.

WIT/V27 sszs. [Army Ta l UNiTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILHELM REISSIG, OF DARMSTADT, ASSIGNOR TO GEBRUEDER SCHMIDT, OF BOUKENHEIM, NEAR FRANKFOltT-ON-THE-MAIN, GERMANY.

VITAL-HEAT ALARM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 265,866, dated October 10, 1882.

Application filed July 10, 1882.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Dr. WILHELM Rnissre, of Darmstadt, a subject of the Emperor of Germany, and resident at Darmstadt, Germany, have invented new and useful improvements in apparatus for indicating the return of the natural warmth and life in apparently dead persons, of which the following is a speci fication.

The object of my invention is to provide a new and improved devicefor sounding an alarm or otherwise giving notice when the natural warmth of the body and life returns in apparently dead persons-for instance, persons in a trance.

The invention consists in a tube or vial containing mercury and connected by electric conductors with a battery, which mercury is held from closing the circuit between the conductors or wires by a plug of highly-fusible material, which-plug melts when the natural warmth of the body returns, thus closing the circuit,

whereby an alarm will be sounded by the alarm apparatus connected with the battery.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which four diiferent constructions of my improved device for saving apparently dead persons are shown in longitudinal sectional elevations.

A small tube, R, or vial closed at one end is filled with mercury, Q, and is closed at the opposite end with a stopper, K, preferably made of non-conducting material, so as to insulate two wires, D, passing through this stopper; or the wires are insulated by means of a silk coating,-or in any other suitable manner, and their inner ends are bare. A plug, S, made of some highly-fusible material, which, for instance,will fuse at about 27 centigrade, (about the natural warmth of the body,) is placed in the tube R, between the stopper K and the mercury, in such a manner that an air-space will be formed between the plug S and the stopper K, into which air-space the bare ends of the wires D project. The plug S prevents the mercury from coming in contact with the bare ends of the wires 1). The tube R is placed horizontally in a cavity of the dead or apparently dead body-for instance, in the mouth or earand as soon as the natural warmth and (No model.)

lif'e return to the body the plug S fuses, and the mercury Q comes in contact with the ends of the wires D and closes the circuit. The wires D are connected with a battery and an alarmbell, which latter is sounded as soon as the circuit is closed'that is, as soon as the plug S fuses. This device is shown in Fig. 1.

In the device shown in Fig. 2 the insulated wires D, which pass through the stopper K and have their ends bare, project into the inercury Q, and a ball or pill, S, of highly-fusible material, surrounds the inner bare ends of the wires. WVhen this ball is fused by the returning natural warmth of the body the mercury closes the circuitand the alarm is sounded.

In the device shown in Fig. 3 one wire D passes insulated through the annular stopper K into the tube R, containing the mercury Q.

A smaller tube, R, passes through the annu- 7o lar stopper K into the tube It, and the other wire D passes insulated through the stopper K of the inner tube, B, into this tube. The inner end of the tube R is provided with a tubular projectioiu'R which contains a plug, S of highly-fusible material, to prevent the mercury from passing into this inner tube,R. \Vhen the natural warmth of the body fuses the plug S the mercury flows into the tube R and closes the circuit, whereby the alarm-bell will be sounded.

In the device shown in Fig. 4 one wire D passes through a stopper, K and the other passes into a bulb, C, or chamber formed in that end of the tube-R opposite the one closed by the stopper K The bulb or chamber 0 is provided with a neck, which is closed by a plug, S of highly-fusible material. If the returning warmth of the body fuses the plug S the mercury passes into the bulb or chamber 0 O and closes the circuit.

The above-described device may be modified considerably, and may have any suitable shape without deviating from the fundamental principle of my invention.

The fusible plug is preferably to be made of some fatty material or wax; but it may be made of any desired suitable highly-fusible material.

Having thus described my invention,I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. A device, made substantially as herein shown and described, for sounding an alarm I when life and the natural warmth of the body return in apparently dead persons or persons in a trance, consisting of a tube or vial containing mercury and connected with abattery and alarm apparatus, which mercury is held from closing the circuit between the two electric conductors or wires by a plug of highlyfusible material, which melts when the natural warmth of the body returns, permitting the mercury to come in contact with both couductor's, thereby closing the circuit, so that the alarm will be sounded, as set forth.

2. The combination, with a tube containing mercury and connected with a battery, of a plug of fusible material, which prevents the mercury from coming 1n contact with the wires, substantially as herein shown and described, and for the purpose set forth.

3. The combination, with a tube containing 20 In testimony whereofI have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two sub- 0 scribing witnesses.

WVILHELM REISSIG.

Witnesses:

FRANZ HASSLACHER, FRIEDRICH J AEGER. 

